Double door structure



Jam, 9 1932. w. A. BARNES 1,842,708

DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE Filed July 17. 1931 Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wrnmir a. names, or TOLEDO, 01:10, assrenon To run swaarznauen 'mANUrAcroame comranr, A conronarron or 01110 DOUBLE DOOR STRUCTURE Application filed July 17,

This invention relates to door structures, and more particularly to the double acting type commonly used on ovens, food conveyors, or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a door structure which is simple and compact in form, is composed of a few parts, and is efficiently operable to have opposed opening and closing movements imr parted in unison thereto by an opening or glosing i'orce imparted to one of the memers.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a structure of this character which is adapted to be inserted into adoor casing as a unit and which, when in open position, causes one door member to be disposed outwardly and below the door casing to serve as a shelf, and the other door member to be swung upwardlyand within the associated compartment. This latter movement being guided so that the interference with dishes or containers carried in the compartment is reduced to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure in which the weight of the opposing parts is substantially balanced, one against the other, so that the opening and closing movements may be accomplished with a minimum of effort.

Further ob'ects and advantages of the invention will e apparent as the description proceeds, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings whic illustrateone' re- 'ierred embodiment of the invention an; in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a door casing embodying my invention. Fig.2 is an enlarged section'onthe line- 2--2 of Fig. 1, with the door members in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a similar enlarged secticin with the door in open position, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a door casing with which the invention is illustrated as associated and which surrounds an opening 2 through which access is'had to the interior compartment. The door ca'sing i may be a part of a food conveyor, oven or I like structure and is preferably formed of 1831. Serial No. 551,585.

sheet metal. The upper and lower walls are provided with downwardly extendingflanges 3 and 4, which form and define the extent of the opening 2. The side walls of the easing 1 are provided with inwardly extending.

lower edge as at 7 to the downwardly extend- 4 ing flange 4 of the casin 1 and is adapted to swing outwardly and dbwnwardly to open position.

The upper door'member 6, when closed, preferably has its lower edge lapping the inner top edge of the, door member and, when open, is swung into engagement with the downwardly extending flange 3. For this purpose the ofiset V-shaped portion 8 is provided. The u per edge is provided with the rearwardly 0 set portion 9, which, when the door is closed, laps the inner lower edge of the downwardl extending flange '3. The upper door mem er 6 is provided with flanges l0 prog'eoting inwardly from each side edge thereo tially flush with the respective ends'of the inturned flanges of the casing 1. Pivotally connected to each flange 10 and to a similar rojection 11 carried by the lower door memer 5 and extending rearwardly into the compartment are link rods 12 and 13. Within the compartment, and fixed to the sidewall tthereof, or to a suitable rigid support at each side, is a bracket 14. T is bracket has its central portion fixed and its ends ofiset with relation to the side wall. The link rod 1?, connected to the upper door member 6, 1s

and lying parallel to and substan- I pivotally connected at one end to the upper end ofthe bracket 14.

. Pivotally connected at one end to the inner end of the link rod 13, at a point intermediate itsends to the lower arm of the bracket 14, as at 15, and at its upper end to the upper end of'the flange 10, is a lever member' 15.

The mounting and connecting of the doors- 5 and 6 in the above-described manner is such that an outward swinging movement of the lower door 5 will cause the u per door 6 to swing upwardly and inwardly in an orbital manner to a substantially horizontal position within the associated compartment, as shown in Fig. 3. The movement of the door 6 is guided by the are taken by the link rod 12, which is connected to the lower end thereof, and by the link 15, which is connected to said door member adjacent the upper end. The movement is arrested by engagement of the offset lower V portion 8 engaging the downwardly extending flange 3, as is shown in Fig. 3. By the provision ofthe present linkage motion, the door 6 is caused to swing orbitally upwardly for some distance before it swings inwardly to its final open position. It will thus be seen that a considerable increase in clearance is provided within the compartment. over that provided by structures heretofore proposed, with an attendant increase in capacity. To. facilitate operation of the doors, a handle 16 is provided on the outer side of the door 5 adjacent its upper edge. I stop member 17 may be provided to bear against the link 13 when the lower door is in open position. The open lower door is thus securely reinforced and may be used .as a

'5 shelf. Provision of this stop member will also obviate the necessity of providing the V.-shaped portion 8 which contacts the upper flange 3. I

Within the compartment and disposed rearwardly of the lower side of the door 6 is a shelf 20 which is removably carried by brackets 21. The shelf 20 may be used to carry containers of food or the like, and may comprise any suitable tray. When used in connection with a food conveyor, the shelf 20 is subject to centrifugal forces of considerable magnitude which are set up when the conveyor is turned rapidly by the operator.

It will'be seen that, should the shelf move out-. wardly, it will contact the lower portion of the door 6 and will be prevented from openweight of the door 6, combined with its Raver-- age about pivot 15 will tend to close the doors.- When the upper end of the lever is .in a position rearward of the vertical, the

weight of the door 6 will tend to aidYin the opening of the doors. A balance is thus provided which reducesthe force required to move the doors from one position to another.

I wish it understood that -my invention'is not limited tc any specificconstruction, ar-. rangement or form of theparts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

' Having thus described my invention, what and closing movements in a vertical plane, a

lever having a pivot intermediate its ends which isifixed relative to the casing and having its upper end pivotally connected to the inner side of the upper door and its lower end connected to the lower door, whereby an opening movement of one door will .commumcate an opening movement to the other door in opposed directions, and a guiding link 6 having one end pivoted 'in fixed relation to the door casing and its other end pivoted to the upper door.

2. The combination with a casing forming a chamber and having a door opening therein, of two door members mounted in such opening one above the other, the lower member being hinged to the lower edge of the openingand the upper member being orbitally mounted for opening and closing movement in a vertical plane, a link pivotally connected at one end to the casing and at its other end to the upper door member near its lower end when in closed position, a lever ivotally connected intermediate its ends tot e casing and having oneend pivotally connected to the upper door near its upper edge, and a second link pivotally connected at one end to the lower door and at its other end to the lower end of said lever, whereby an open: ing movement of the lower door will impart an upward and inward orbital opening movement to the upper door with the doors in substantial counterbalanced relation to each other. v

3. In combination, means forming. a casing having a door opening therein, two doors disposed one above the other and cooperating to close the casing openin the lower, door bein' hinged at its lower e ge to the bottom casing and the upper door being adapted to swing upwardly and inwardly closed position, a lever pivoted'inter mediate' its ends to the casing side interiorly thereof and pivotally connected at its upper end to the inner side of the upper door near its upper edge, a link pivotally connecting the lower end of the lever to the lower door intermediate its upper and loweredges, whereby an opening movementof the'lower door will cause the upper edge portion of the upper door to be swung inwardly within the casing, and a link having one end pivoted in fixed relation to the casing interiorlythereof and its other ehdpivoted to the upper door to cause .an orbital manner within the casing from hill an elevation of the lower edge of the lower door when its upper edge is swung inwardly.

4:. In combination, means forming a casing having a door opening therein, two doors disposed one above the other and cooperating to close the casing opening, the lower door being hinged at its lower edge to the bottom of the casing and the upper door being adapted to swing upwardly and inwardly in an orbital manner within the casing from closed position, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the casing side interiorly thereof and pivotally connected at its upper end to the inner side of the upper door near its upper edge, a link pivotally connecting the lower end of the lever to the lower door intermediate its upper and lower edges, whereby an opening movement of the lower door will cause the upper edge portion of the upper door to be swung inwardly within the casing, and a link having one end pivoted in fixed re lation to the casing interiorly thereof and its other end pivoted to the upper door to cause an elevation of the lower edge of the lower door when its upper edge is swung inwardly, said upper door having stop coaction at its lower edge with the upper wall of the casing opening when the doors have been swung to predetermined open position.

5. In combination, a casing forming a chamber with an opening in one side thereof,- brackets secured interiorly to the opposite side walls of said casing, upper and lower doors adapted to cooperate to close said opening, the lower door being hinged at its lower edge to the casing at the bottom of said open ing, a lever pivoted to each bracket and having one end pivotally connected to the upper door, a link pivotally connecting the lower end of the lever to the lower door whereby opening movements of the lower door will impart predetermined opening movements to the upper door, and a guide link pivotally connecting each bracket to the upper door and cooperating with the lever to cause the upper door to have predetermined opening and closing movements.

6. In combination, a casing forming a chamber with an opening in one side, a shelf mounted in said chamber in close proximity to said opening intermediate its upper and lower edges, a lower door member hinged at its lower edge to the casing at the bottom of said opening and adapted to close the lower portion of the opening, an upper door member for closing the upper portion of the opening and adapted to have its lower edge extend down in advance of the shelf in inward lapping relation to the upper edge of the lower door member, and means connecting the doors and operable upon an outward swinging of the lower door to open position to efiect an orbital swinging of the upper door to open position within the casing and to cause its lower edge portion to be withdrawn from in advance of said shelf.

7. The combination with a' door casing, of

two door members mounted in the casing,

the lower member being hinged and the upper member being mounted for orbital opening and closing movements in a vertical plane, a lever having a pivot intermediate its ends which is fixed relative to the casing and having its upper end pivotally connected to the inner side of the upper door and its lower end connected to the lower door, whereby an opening movement of one door will communicate an opening movement to the other door in opposed directions, and means to guide said upper door in its orbital movement.

8. In combination with a casing having a door opening therein, two doors disposed one above the other and cooperating to close the casing opening, the lower door being hinged at its lower edge to the bottom of the casing and the upper door being adapted to swing upwardly and inwardly in an orbital manner within the casing from closed position, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the casing side interiorly thereof and pivotally connected at its upper end to the inner side of the upper door, a link pivotally connecting the lower end of the lever to the lower door intermediate its upper and lower edges, whereby an opening movement of'one door will cause an opening movement of the other, means co- 7 operating with the lever to guide the opening and closing movements of said upper door, and means to limit the opening movement of the doors. 3

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM A.' BARNES. 

